Dynafin



United States Patent Inventor Plinio A. Iglesias, New York, N.Y.

(2612 Newkirk Ave., Apt. A, North Bergen, NJ. 07047) Appl. No. 840,643 Filed July 10, 1969 Patented Sept. 22, 1970 DYNAFIN 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

LES, Cl l l5/22.2, 115/28, 9/309 Int. Cl B63h16/02, A63!) 31/10 Field otSearch 9/301, 303,

[56] References Cited UNITED. STATES PATENTS 871,059 11/1907 DOUSB 115/28 1,530,560 3/1925 Heminger 115/263 3,426,722 2/1969 Dragich 115/22.2X

' FOREIGN PATENTS 1,349,438 12/1963 France l15/22.1

Primary ExaminerMilton Buchler Assistant Examiner-James E. Pittenger ABSTRACT: A scuba diving accessory for the purpose of improving the sport of scuba diving, the device comprising a shoulder support made of plastic or other rigid material, a transmission bar with two pedals running along side of slots in the bar so to transmit movement to a tin, the fin comprising a rubber member so to produce displacement of water.

Patented Sept. 22, 1970 Patented Sept. 22, 1970 v Sheet 2 of 2 I m/ 1/5 rae DYNAFIN This invention relates generally to sports equipment. More specifically it relates to accessories for the sport of scuba diving.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a dynafin for use by scuba divers and which will improve the speed and autonomy of the swimmer within the water.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dynafin that comprises equipment which does not interfere with the traditional equipment used in the particular sport.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a dynafin which can be manufactured in standard production of conventional manufacturing shops and which may be made in any of various sizes so to be suitable to a swimmer.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a dynafin which is simple in-design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one form of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a to.) plan view showing a modified construction thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of yet a further modified form of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a mechanical diagram of the structure employed in the form of the invention as is illustrated in FIG. 3. 7

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, the reference numeral 10 represents a dynafin, according to the present invention, wherein there is an elongated transmission bar II which is positioned adjacent the front side of a swimmer 12. A shoulder support 13 is connection l4.

The shoulder support comprises a bib configurated member which includes a front breast panel 15 positioned adjacent the swimmers chest, the breast panel extending upwardly to the shoulders 16 of the swimmer where the breast panel is integral with a pair of U-shaped shoulder plates 17 each one of which rests across the top of one of the shoulders 16. The shoulder support may be made of plastic material preferably and is designed so to be fully comfortable when worn by the swimmer.

The transmission bar 11 comprises a tubular member made preferably from aluminum tubing and which is provided with a slot 18 upon each opposite side thereof as shown in FIG. 1. Within the interior of the transmission bar, there are a pair of slideable cylinders held captive within the transmission bar but which are slideable longitudinally respective thereto, each of the slideable cylinders 19 having a duraluminum fin or gusset 20 rigidly secured thereto, the gusset 20 extending outwardly of the slot 18 and having a plastic footrest 21 secured thereto, the footrest 21 and gusset 20 in combination forming a foot pedal 22. It is to be noted that the cylinders 19 within the transmission bar are located alongside each other so that they do not interfere with one another during sliding movement within the transmission bar.

At the lower end of the transmission bar, a propulsion fin 23 is pivotally secured, the propulsion fin including a fin 24 made preferable from rubber material and having a relatively heavy generally U-shaped frame 25 around a relatively thin and fiexible rubber web 26. The fin 24 is of generally triangular configuration having forwardly converging upper and lower edges so that the fin resembles generally a tail of a fish with the rear edge 27 thereof being scalloped as indicated in FIG. 1. The forward end of the fin assembly includes a bracket 28 secured to the fin 24, the bracket 28 carrying a transverse pin 29, the pin 29 being integral with a pair of sidewardly extending arms 30, the terminal end of each arm 30 being connected by a link 31 to one of the gussets 20 of the foot pedal 22. Additionally,

the pin 29 is pivotable within a bearing 32 formed in the lower or rear end of the transmission bar. I

In operative use, when a swimmer or scuba diver 12 travels along the water surface 33, as shown in FIG. I, he may move forwardly by simply assuming with his body the horizontal position as indicated thus maintaining the transmission bar in a relatively horizontal position. He places a foot 34 on eachof the pedals 22 and by alternately moving a foot downward, thus causes the pedals to slide along the transmission bar, the pedals thus causing the fin 24 to oscillate reciprocally sidewardly toward the right and left in the manner of the tail of a fish. Thus the swimmer may use the device to move forwardly and increase his speed and autonomy in the water.

In FIG. 2 of the drawing, a top view of the device is shown, the figure readily indicating the slideable cylinders-19 positioned adjacent each other within the transmission bar. It is to be noted that the fin 24 may readily travel across an arc of approximately 45, thus providing sufficient fin movement so as to rapidly propel the swimmer forwardly.

In FIG. 3 a modified construction of the present invention is shown to include a steel cable 35 between the outer ends of the arms 30 and the gussets of the foot pedals 22. In the present construction, each of the pedals 22 is attached to the cable 35, the cable being passed around pulleys 36 which are rotatably mounted upon stationarily fixed shafts 37, journaled in the transmission bar 11. Thus the cable is secured at its opposite ends to the outward ends of the arms 30 while the intermediate portions of the cable extend around the pulleys as is indicated in FIG. 4 of the drawing.

Thus in operative use, when the swimmer depresses one of the foot pedals 22, this movement will automatically cause the other foot pedal to be moved in an opposite direction due to being secured to the same cable. The present construction comprises an improvement which will make the entire dynafin assembly relatively more light in weight and the construction thereof more simple. While this form of the invention has these advantages, the foregoing form of the invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is capable of producing greater power.

Thus there has been provided an accessory for scuba diving sport which will improve the speed of a swimmer in the water and which does not interfere with the traditional equipment used in the sport.

lclaim:

I. In a dynafin accessory for use by scuba divers, the combination of a transmission bar, said transmission bar being adaptable for being positioned adjacent a front side of a swimmer, one end of said transmission bar being secured to a shoulder support, and an opposite end of said transmission bar being secured to a fin assembly, said shoulder support being mountable over said swimmers shoulders, and said fin assembly being operated by said swimmers feet, said shoulder support comprising a configurated member molded of plastic material, said member including a breast plate for positioning adjacent abreast of said swimmer, and the upper portion of said breast plate being adjacent a pair of integrally formed, U- shaped shoulder plates receivable over the shoulders of said swimmer, said transmission bar comprising a straight, elongated aluminum tube, said tube having a pair of slots on opposite sides thereof, said tube containing a pair of longitudinal slideable cylinders there within, said cylinders being in side by side relationship, each said cylinder having an integral gusset plate secured thereto, said gusset plate extending outwardly of one of said slots, and an outer portion of said gusset plate having a foot rest integrally mounted thereto, said gusset plate and foot rest comprising a foot pedal for a foot of said swimmer.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fin assembly comprises a fin including a generally U-shaped edge of relatively heavier thickness for re-enforcement around a central web, said re-enforcing edge being made of relatively stiff rubber while said web is made of thin flexible rubber, said fin being of generally triangular configuration and having opposite upper and lower edges which are forwardly converging,

4. The combination as set forth in claim} wherein said link means comprises a pair of steel rods.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said link means comprises a cable secured at its opposite ends to said ends of said arms, said cable extending into said transmission bar and around a pair of spaced apart pulleys, and said cylinders of each said foot pedal being rigidly affixed to said cable. 

